


Under This Sky

by Erebeus



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Birds, Diary/Journal, Epistolary, Fluff, Getting Together, H/D Fan Fair 2019, India, M/M, Post-Hogwarts, Road Trips, Secondary Theme: Travel Fair, Smitten Harry Potter, Sweet, Travel, Travelling Companion Draco Malfoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-30
Updated: 2019-11-30
Packaged: 2020-10-26 14:41:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20743871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Erebeus/pseuds/Erebeus
Summary: Harry’s life is at a standstill when his friends push him to go explore the world a little more. He’s been on vacation from his defense post for three years now, watching his friends move on with their lives. As he travels across the Indian terrain, between befriending Elephants and battling cuddly chicks for one Blonde haired ex-Slytherin’s attention, he might also find that some wishes do in fact come true and that family can be two men and a baby chick.Draco has been doing pretty well for himself—or so he would like to think. He’s rebuilt a portion of the Malfoy fortune by travelling half the world, his mother is well cared for, and not a lot of people remember his reputation as a Death Eater anymore. He is comfortable. But then he goes on a trip with Harry bloody Potter, and realizes that comfortable doesn’t always mean happy.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For Prompt #[139](https://docs.google.com/document/d/16er_sVwwFtbVQxtiFqHRWhw09kwNYhywsB-R48qtVPU/edit#).
> 
> _Draco has been working as a travelling companion since the war, escorting wealthy dowagers of his grandparent’s generation on tasteful and genteel holidays around the world. Along comes Harry, nervous about taking an extended trip abroad by himself, who hires Draco (knowingly or unknowingly) to go with him on a Gryffindor-ish adventure. _
> 
> I swear I started off with a plot, but it all just coalesced into a shameless ball of fluff. Thanks to my bestie P for beta'ing this for me :). Also many thanks to the hdfanfair mods. I hope you enjoy this fic!

**Harry’s Apartment, London, England**

**August 15**

**Weather: **Drizzling

Harry was reorganizing his spices for the third time that day when Hermione first brought it up.

“I really think you should take a vacation.”

It was one of those few Monday nights when she had no grading left to do, and she was occupying the left hand corner of the Big Room which tripled as their dinning room, lounge and kitchen. Harry agreed distractedly as he tucked the turmeric into the perfect spot. As he fished for the paprika, he stole a peek at her. With her elbows on the stacks of books littering the table, grey rimmed spectacles low on her nose and a can of biscuits balanced on the tartan couch that Harry bought for McGonagall, Hermione looked every bit of the stern professor she was.

“Harry Potter, _I said _you should take a vacation.”

Harry made a vague sound and then disappeared deeper into his cabinets waving his lit wand.

“You aren’t listening to me anymore are you Harry?” A distinct silence and muffled hand banging and clinking of bottles answered her with a resounding denial.

A few minutes later Harry plopped himself down across from her with a sheepish smile.

“Sorry Mione, I thought I saw a spider that’s all. I swear I wasn’t ignoring you.”

Hermione huffed and curled her hands tighter about her steaming coffee mug. “A vacation Harry. You should take one.”

Harry laughed and kicked his feet up on the table inciting half hearted protests from his bushy haired friend. “Come on Mione! We both know I’m already on vacation for the next few months. Just because I didn’t go outside of England doesn’t mean I’m not relaxing. Anyways, you can’t leave school and Ron’s used up all his holidays for this year when you guys extended your honeymoon. What will I do going anywhere alone?”

Hermione dropped the topic, Merlin thank tiny blessings, but Harry had a feeling that this wasn’t the last time he will have to deal with this.

~

**The Burrow, Ottery St Catchpole, Devon, England**

**August 24**

**Weather: **Cloudy

Harry hated it when he was right. At least last time, it had been only Hermione. This time she had joined forces with Ginny and Molly too, and Harry just wasn’t strong enough to resist even one of them most of the time, let alone three. They’d all jumped him during the wee morning hours on the following Thursday. While he was drinking his morning tea nonetheless, for fuck’s sake. As far as Harry could tell they have been harassing him for over an hour now (it’s a little hard to tell as the clock is obscured by a curly mess of brown hair as Hermione has refused to let go of his face until he agrees). He was going to survive this torture. He was going to…

Then Molly smushed his head to her neck again, blubbering about how if he loves them he’ll go on this vacation. He won’t survive past the next two minutes. No he was strong, he was capable, he was…. And Ginny behind him pinched his arm. Hard. Harry shrieked. Time to call in backup. “RON! HELP!”

“Help? What seems to be the problem?” Ron thumped down the stairs. His best friend had recently taken to imitating Professor Queenly or something from a frog’s factory Rosie liked to watch on the TV. But then he saw the three women surrounding his best friend. And he slowly backed away. “I think you should listen to what the smart people are saying Harry,” Ron said nervously.

Harry sent him puppy eyes.

Ron just shook his head and pulled on his socks. “I’m not going to disagree with the wife, mate.” Ron brushed a kiss across Hermione’s cheekbone and slapped Harry on the back. “Sides Harry she’s right. You really do need to get out of England for a bit. Roam the world, experience life and all that good stuff.” That was _utter bullshit_. Ron hadn’t been out of England himself since his trip to Egypt in third year the bloody traitor.

Molly beamed at Harry. “And if you don’t want to go alone I can find you a companion. Aunt Muriel was singing praises of this travel companion she went with Australia to this summer, and I really do think you’ll love him.”

Ron whistled in awe. “I never thought I’d see the day when _Aunt Muriel _praised someone. Whoever that is has some serious powers.”

Harry imagined going to Hawaii with a shriveled old man, as nasty as Aunt Muriel, slinging insults at undercooked lobsters and nearly started crying.

Then Ginny picked up Harry’s hand and looked at him with a pleading expression. He might not dating her anymore, but that expression still made him cave to her every request. He already knew he was doomed. “Please Harry? We just want to take care of you. Look you don’t even have to do anything. Just let us book you a vacation yeah?” Harry furiously swirled his cold tea. “Harry. Please? Pretty please?”

Fuck his life and Aunt Muriel and Ginny’s red hair and the chipped corner of his teacup which had just stabbed him in his lower lip. Fuck that chipped corner in particular.

“Alright.” Harry sighed.

~

**Hogsmeade, Scotland**

**August 26**

**Weather: **Sunny

“I don’t know why I said yes” Harry whined to Luna on their weekly trip to Neville’s greenhouses at Hogwarts, and stuck another spoonful of his Butterbeer ice-cream in his mouth.

Luna, the good woman, had brought him his favourite comfort food from Fortesque’s without prompting. How she always knew when he needed comfort, Harry would never know. She sure was brilliant.

Luna hummed and gave distracted nods as Harry continued venting his frustration out.

When they finally got to the greenhouses, Neville was busy repotting some Venomous Tentaculas. As they sat down to help Neville, Harry prepared himself to start his rant all over again.

“Harry. Mate. I heard you’re going to India?” Neville smiled warmly at him, brushing his hands over the leaves on his Tentacula. Harry open and closed his mouth.

“How’d you know?”

Neville rubbed the back of his neck. “I was talking to Hermione just an hour ago about this emergency meeting McGonagall called. Apparently somebody decided that dumping an entire lot of U-No-Poo into the Hogwarts supplies would be a fun prank. I swear Harry. George better not have given them the idea.”

Harry chuckled. “That fucking sucks man.”

Neville grumbled a little more.

During a lull in the conversation, Neville sat back on his heels.

“You know Harry. I am so happy for you. I really think going abroad will be so good for you.”

Harry blushed. “But I’m happy here. I don’t need to go abroad.”

“You have to admit Harry. You’ve been a bit out of sorts for a while now. You live alone, don’t go to work, only regularly see Teddy. It’s not healthy mate. Though I have to say, didn’t think you’d agree to go abroad with Malfoy.”

Harry chokes. _“What do you mean, go abroad with Malfoy?”_

Neville nervously chuckles. “I thought you were right? Hermione told me.” Then his eyes widened. “Wait did she not tell you?!”

“NO SHE SURELY DID NOT! What the bloody hell? When was she going to tell me?”

“Probably not until you were leaving.” Luna answered distractedly. Harry swore and kicked a nearby table. The flowers on the table angrily shook their leaves back at him.

“Wow. This is. It’s brilliant.”

Neville flushed. “Well I suppose she could have a reason.”

Harry grumbled. “Of course she does. She always has a reason.”

“And she’s always right too.” Luna reminded them from beneath a pile of conjured bananas.

Harry and Neville only paused slightly. They were quite used to Luna’s antics, though, so Neville soon turned back to Harry.

“Have you talked to him since the trials at all? Malfoy I mean. He has changed you know. He’s much less of a git now. Maybe use the opportunity to set the record straight between you two. I think you might like to hang out with him in a place with less memories.”

Harry had in fact talked to Malfoy after the trials. Their had talked at Luna’s party two months ago to be precise. Two months and three days ago. Two months, three days and three hours ago.

Harry had spent the first half of the night staring at Malfoy from across the bar and complaining to Ron about how Malfoy shouldn’t be allowed back in England at all. Malfoy with his impossibly shiny hair and his sharp jawline and his quicksilver icy eyes. Really what was the git thinking, trying to take over Harry’s friends. Then halfway through the night, Draco had looked up at him and looked away guiltily. Harry’s complaining immediately turned into ‘I think Malfoy’s up to something again guys.’ Turns out, all Malfoy had been up to was shoring up courage to thank Harry for his testimony at the Wizengamot trials. But he had been drunk then. And so had Harry. He wondered what it would like to talk to Malfoy sober. To talk to a sober Malfoy. Somehow he didn’t think there would be as many theatrics involved. Then again, Malfoy had always been incredibly dramatic. Harry wondered about Malfoy often enough, and now he had a chance to get to know the pretentious git better. Anyways, his hair was so beautiful and shiny. Harry had always been a sucker for shiny hair.

“Actually I think I would like that very much yeah.”

~

**Grimmauld Palace, London, England**

**October 15**

**Weather: **Rainy

Harry patted down his robes and ran his fingers through his hair. He thought of not having any contact with the Weasleys for the entirety of the trip and felt a little sick. The only memories he had without the Weasleys or Ron and Hermione in them, were, quite simply put, shit. The only thing keeping him from running the other way was the thought that he would meet Malfoy. Harry wondered if Malfoy knew they were going to India together. Probably.

Ron hollered for him from downstairs, and Harry reluctantly trudged down the stairs to see practically everyone he knew and loved. Of course there was an overwhelming amount of red hair, but there was a flash of blonde here and there from Luna and Fleur, and some dark hair from Neville and Hermione. At the sight of him, everyone burst into cacophony. Harry spotted Molly in the corner wiping her eyes, and made his way over, increasingly alarmed. As he got close, Molly flung herself at him, and pulled him tightly against herself.

“Oh Harry! We’re all going to miss you so much! Make sure to stay safe yes? And let…I mean take care of yourself my dear boy.”

Harry let out a muffled “Of course, Mrs. Weasley” and gave up on breathing while Molly was holding him. Finally, Arthur pulled his wife off of Harry, pointing out that perhaps suffocating the boy would not help to keep him here. Molly blushed and went off to fuss over Harry’s bags near the entrance.

“Take care son.” Arthur patted Harry on the back and walked off after his wife.

With both the eldest Weasleys done, everyone else swarmed Harry to say their farewells. Harry finally pushed out of the crowd of his loved ones after half an hour, with Victoire hanging off one leg, and his robes hanging off his other shoulder. His hair was even more of a disaster than usual (courtesy of one Fred Weasley), and he was generally ready to leave. Especially since the portkey to India left in half an hour.

He made his way over to Ron and Hermione, while swinging Victoire up into his arms.

“Why is everyone here?”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “They just wanted to say goodbye you dummy. Honestly Harry.” Then her eyes softened. “We all love you so much Harry. Just remember that yeah?”

Harry struggled to keep his act straight. Hermione only said that when she was feeling guilty about some masterplan she’d involved him without his knowledge. “Hermione, what did you do?” Of course he did know what she did, but this opportunity was just too golden to pass.

“What I can’t tell my best friend I love him?”

“Of course you can. When you want to apologize to them.”

Hermione squeaked in denial and turned slightly ruddier along the tips of her ears.

Harry turned to the redhead beside her. “Ron? Do you have something to say?”

Ron stuttered and ducked behind Hermione. Harry pulled him back from his collar.

“Ronnie!”

Ron panicked and pointed at his empty wrist. “Oh no will you look at the time? We really should be leaving! Wouldn’t want to miss an international portkey will we?” Before Harry could argue anymore, Ron hurried out of Grimmauld Palace with Harry’s disillusioned bags.

Stifling his mirth, Harry hurried right after him. Shite. No umbrella. The rain poured down the back of his collar, and Harry swore. He ran back inside Grimmauld Palace. Slicking his hair back, Harry found Molly at the entrance with everyone else. After another fifteen minutes of hugs and kisses, Harry finally found himself at the Ministry alongside Hermione.

As they got on the elevator, Hermione huffed. “It’s not even that big of a deal. Just… You know how Molly wanted to hire you a travel companion, so you would feel more comfortable abroad alone?”

“I remember.”

“It may…We may…The person you’re travelling with may or may not be Draco Malfoy.” She cringed.

Harry glared at Hermione, and she ducked her head low and rushed out of the elevator. Ron on the other hand was trying to stammer out excuses (mostly comprised of, “It was Hermione’s idea”). Harry couldn’t take it anymore and burst into laughter.

“I already knew that guys. You all are terrible at keeping secrets. Neville told me the day you told me you coerced me into saying yes to this madness.”

Hermione spluttered indignantly. Ron on the other hand looked incredibly relieved. “So I’m off the hook right mate?” Harry slapped Ron’s shoulder and laughed some more at Hermione’s annoyed expression.

Hermione finally huffed. “Honestly Harry. Ever since you saw him at Luna’s party, all of our conversations somehow lead up to ‘I wonder what Malfoy is up to these days. Once I found out he was a travel companion, well. This course of action was obviously the most natural to take. You two can figure everything out within the next week or so.”

Harry turned a bright red and squeaked. “That’s not true. Take that back!”

Hermione’s raised eyebrows could chop wood. “I refuse to suffer your Malfoy problems anymore.”

Harry spluttered some more and saw the clock while trying to change the topic. Then they both ran. There were only six minutes until the portkey left.

**~**

**From: Jaadu Ghar, Hyderabad, India**

**To: Professor Granger’s quarters, Hogwarts, Scotland**

**October 16**

Hi Hermione,

We reached safely.

Love Harry.

PS: I could not send this last night because the owleries were all closed by the time we decided on a place to stay in.

PPS: Malfoy says that I cannot count on sending letters everyday unless I want to be a cold cruel human being to the owls. :( He also says to tell you to not reply as we won’t be staying at this address for long enough to receive you owl. :( :(

PPPS: Since I cannot send another owl, and this one got delayed anyways, I might as well write out a full letter.

First of all, Malfoy is so annoying! We finally got out of customs and all that good stuff at like 7 pm. It took us three hours. Three hours Hermione! Malfoy said that it’s because “This isn’t the English Ministry where you get a free pass due to the virtue of being the Saviour, Potty.” Also there are so many people here! So. Many. People. And they are all wearing such bright clothes.

Well anyways. When we finally got out of the customs place, we decided to go eat lunch. Malfoy wanted to go to a posh restaurant, the spoilt pureblood that he is. But then by the time, we reached the restaurant it was closed, so we had to go find a place to stay. Apparently, he’d expected me to have made the reservations beforehand, but I didn’t know what to do, so I’d decided to wing it once we got here. So we got a dingy inn in the wizarding part of Hyderabad like at 10 at night.

That’s when I tried sending the letter by the way. But it wasn’t an emergency, so the postman refused to send it. Something about it not being auspicious.

I’m at breakfast right now, waiting for Malfoy to show up right now, if he ever decides to show up. He’s probably too busy doing yoga. Oh by the way MALFOY DOES YOGA! I didn’t know that! I wonder where he picked it up from. I walked in on him doing yoga and I swear. He wasn’t even wearing a bloody undershirt.

It’s so lively here just like Hogsmeade on the weekends we visited it, but like everywhere all the time. I woke up to a lot of bells and people chattering. It was so weird. Not in a bad way. Just new I think we’re planning to go see this mosque called Charminar? Malfoy also wanted to go to this fort later in the evening. We’ll see. Super excited!

Love Harry.

PS: Yes that extra ‘Love Harry’ was meant to annoy you Hermione. I’m not sorry.

PPS: Tell the Weasleys I love them. Show Ron this letter too. Also Sorry Ron for not writing you a separate letter, but really it would have been the same anyways! Love you too!

~

**Date: **October 18

So I decided I’m going to keep track of this trip (My first trip abroad!). I wouldn’t have but Malfoy dropped this journal in my lap, muttering about writing memories down lets people remember more, while we were out at the market earlier this week. Dunno how he figured out I was thinking of starting a journal—come to think of it, I may have said something about wanting to remember my first time abroad on our picnic yesterday. He would deny it if I mention it, but it was awfully nice of him.

October 16 –

We went to Charminar. There were a lot of people. We ate some biryani for lunch. It was spicy. I couldn’t handle it that much, but Malfoy was eating tons of chillis as well. I wonder how he got his spice tolerance. It was warm and sunny (sunny!). Wow, I never realized how hard writing a travel journal really is. Malfoy’s reading over my shoulder. He just insulted my lack of eloquence and my plebian English. Then we went to this lake. Malfoy says it was called Hussain something. But he also says we went there on the 17th and that I’m a buffoon, so I’m going to ignore him. We went boating after lunch. The sun was even brighter over the water, and the person in our boat was very interesting. His little daughter loves drawing flowers and Ganesha, and he showed us tons of pictures. I even brought one back with me. Malfoy is saying that’s because I’m a sentimental weakling. I disagree. It was just so sweet! Anyways. We got back early so we went to the market—oh wait. Malfoy was right. Nevermind. Actually, I think we went to the fort right after. There was so much traffic! I don’t remember much from the Fort. I knew the Fort was going to be boring as hell, but I didn’t deny him when he suggested we go there. Even though he tried to play it cool, he got so excited about the architecture, and it was so adorable. I wasn’t going to say no to _that_—I’m not an utter berk. Then we came back to the inn and we played cards. We went to these waterfalls the day after. They were so pretty. I persuaded the cook at our inn to make us some nice sandwiches (which again had spices in them. Seriously? I am still pissed. Malfoy said it is good for my countenance. What the hell even is a countenance?). We had a good picnic in a grassy place nearby, and then I had a good long sleep in the sun (there’s sun here!). Malfoy refused to lay down like “common riffraff”. He is so pretentious (Ha! See I can use big words too Malfoy you wanker).

October 17 –

We went to the lake. And then the market. I guess I already talked about this.

October 18 –

We’re driving through some really hilly roads. A local called them the Ghat roads. They’re supposed to be really pretty. Personally, they are absolutely disgusting. I have thrown up four times in the last twelve hours we’ve been driving. We’re at at a muggle inn right now, stopped for some water. I refuse to get on the car for the next one hour. I swear to Merlin these roads were made just to torture me. Throwing up stomach bile is almost worse than Crucio. Almost.


	2. Chapter 2

**From: Mahendrigiri Hills, Odisha, India**

**To: Côte d’Azur, French Rivera, France**

**October 20**

Dearest Pansy,

First of all, you wench! You put a tracker on me! I cannot believe you. You’re worse than Rita Skeeter with your inability to stay out of everyone else’s business! I swear to Merlin’s saggy tits you need to find yourself a life for yourself. A tracker! A bloody tracker! The ones our parents used on us when we were younger! Do you have no sense of respectability you absolute bitch? Do you have no sense of my respectability? Why am I friends with you?

Now that that’s out of the way, how are you? How is mother? I am sorry to say that I am not fine. I swear Potter will be the death of me. He wants to go gallivanting about on horses Pansy! Through the farms! Salazar help me. He has no taste of a proper vacation the bloody commoner. I fear I might indulge him too. Did you know that he never went on a vacation before? Like a proper vacation. I asked him and he told me some morbid bollocks about camping during the war. Makes my blood boil. Anyways, that is how I think I shall be plodding through horse shite inches deep. Save me Pans I beg of you.

Potter’s being weird. No insults, no jibs, no punches. He’s, dare I say, might actually be trying to befriend me. He called me ‘mate’ yesterday. How absurd. As if nothing happened during the war. As if I I haven’t accidentally almost killed his best mate, as if he hasn’t accidentally almost killed me. As if [indecipherable scribbles]. I don’t know what to do Pansy. I don’t know how to deal with this Potter who isn’t angry, who acts happy to see me. I just don’t know Pansy. Did I tell you we’ve even taken to only renting one room and then taking turns on the couch to save us the expense? Not that he needs to, but it was his suggestion, and I certainly couldn’t turn down the blessing of saving half the residential expenses of the trip. I wonder what he’s playing at.

Potter’s also taken to writing a travel journal. He’s always scribbling away in it whenever we get back <strike>home </strike>to the hotel. It makes me want to take up journaling again. But I suppose I shall settle with a photo album just like always.

Enough about me. How did your conference in Paris go? Get any new ideas? Rivals? Girlfriends you want to tell me about? Are we finally dropping Blaise?

Curiously Yours,

Draco Lucius Malfoy.

> ** _Attached Letter_ **
> 
> Draco you utter berk
> 
> Don’t ever fucking thinking you can fucking avoid me by going to another country. I can and will always find you. Write me a fucking letter, you useless man.
> 
> Love Pansy.

~

**Mahendrigiri Hills, Odisha, India**

**October 21 **

**Weather: **Clear

The stillness buzzed loudly in Draco’s ears.

If he squinted, Draco swore he could see the sea along the horizon, even though the caretaker had said they wouldn’t be able to see it until they crossed another thirty kilometers up the winding roads.

He had woken up to Potter snoring in a bed not ten feet from him and was now waiting for him to finish bathing. The caretaker of the small four room wooden motel they were staying at had filled up a couple buckets with hot water in case the electricity went out, but Draco had taken a cold water bath anyways.

Now Draco stood out on the porch overlooking the valley and beyond. The hills looked sharp and fresh in the brightening sky right before sunrise, standing still for a perfect picture. A hot cup of tea rested between his hands, hot air twirling up in wisps towards the trees overhead. Draco felt utterly relaxed. Potter had stopped throwing up on the hour yesterday, and Draco hoped he wouldn’t throw up at all today. They were going to be driving through some of the prettiest parts of their drive today, and he didn’t need Potter bollocksing it all up with vomit everywhere.

Last week had been incredibly surreal. If anyone had told him that he would be travelling halfway across India with Harry freaking Potter even one month ago, he would have first laughed his guts out, and then he would have rushed that person to the Janus Thickey Ward. Yet here he was, former Death Eater Draco Malfoy, freely consorting with the Saviour. Well not freely exactly. Granger had paid him. Handsomely. But his point remained. He wondered what Lucius would have had to say to his life now. Nothing too nice probably. Hopefully.

“Malfoy?” Through the corner of his eye Draco watched Potter lean on the railing. Draco felt as if his stomach was being pulled up by hooks. If he moved his elbow just a little to the right, their elbows would occupy the same space. The hairs along his right arm stood up, as if Potter exuded a magnetic field that drew them towards him.

“Breakfast’s done,” Potter whispered.

Draco sipped his tea slowly, and hummed. They stood there in peace for a while. When the sun started peeking over the horizon, Potter shuffled beside him. Draco took a deep breath. Potter smelled like Earth and a hint of lemon. It made him feel dizzy. Or maybe it was the fact that they were not fighting. He’d gotten used to it over the past week, yet every time, every single time, the realization would trample him, put him into a grinder and liquefy any sane thought. Which probably explained the words coming out of his mouth.

“Are we friends Potter?”

Potter gave him a slanted look, the rising light illuminating the amused Green in his eyes.

“You tell me Malfoy. What’s going on that pretty golden head of yours?”

Malfoy flushed. He didn’t remember Potter being so self-assured either, but the last week had taught him a lot about Potter that he didn’t know before. Like how he liked to butter his toast right up to the crust, and how he left his socks everywhere (though to be fair he could have guessed that one).

He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times. And then he blurted, “But we’re supposed to be enemies! Archrivals!”

Potter looked at him seriously. “Do you want to be enemies Malfoy?”

“Yes? Yes. No. Maybe.” Draco ran a hand down the railing, lowering his eyes and voice. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

“I’ve had enough hate for a lifetime. Haven’t you?”

When Draco nodded mutely, Potter turned around, just so that the light set fire to the tips of his hair.

“Besides, we stated over. Remember? At Luna’s?”

Luna’s. Bloody hell. Fuckity fuck. Pansy had told him nothing important happened while he had been rat arsed. That cunt!

Then Potter smiled at him. (Potter! Smiled! At Him!). “I do have to say you’re quite a cute drunkard. You talk so much.” Wait, what? Buggering hell. What secrets had he spilled to Potter in his drunken stupor? How much did Potter know about him that Draco didn’t know that Potter knew? He made a strangled gurgling noise and promptly blushed brighter in embarrassment.

Chuckling, Potter pushed off the banister. “C’mon Malfoy. We should get on the road before seven.” Praying fervently for his reputation, Draco followed Potter indoors to the smell of burnt toast and sandalwood.

~

**Pages 1 – 3 from an Untitled Photo-Album **

_The picture shows a messy haired black haired boy tapping his fingers on a steering wheel. His mouth is moving, and his head is bopping. At a closer look, he seems to be mouthing the same word over and over again. Beyond the red car whose hood has been spelled away the valleys pay hide and seek with the trees along the road. Periodically the boy turns to look at the camera and smiles brilliantly, his teeth gleaming, the corners of his eyes crinkling._

Driving up in the Eastern Ghats in Odisha – Potter’s first time driving up hills. Touch wood, hope we don’t both die. Also Potter cannot sing—don’t be fooled he is only singing the one word he think he knows from this Hindi song playing on the radio. Repeatedly. Completely out of tune. See also: recording of Potter’s singing skills (kept for blackmail purposes).

_The picture shows the same messy haired black haired boy now with pink fluffy cotton candy in his left hand sitting on a rock next to a blonde haired pale boy. Behind them, one can see the entire valley and a portion of the Eastern Ghats. The clouds scatter the light from the sun starting to set and tinge everything in warm golden tones. Both boys first look directly at the camera. Then the black haired boy pulls a face, and the blonde haired one hits him over the head, and crosses his arms._

The tip of Mahendragiri mountains – Potter’s first time eating cotton candy. Don’t mind Potter’s face. In addition to excelling at being ugly, Potter does not understand the meaning of appropriate photograph expressions. Also the corncobs up here are amazing and perfectly smoked.

_In this picture the blonde haired boy is strapped up with black belts to a rope above him. He gives a nervous smile, clearly terrified. He is standing on a wooden platform, with a stranger holding the ropes. And then his feet leave the platform and he zooms out of the picture. Just a split second before he leaves the frame, he can be seen opening his mouth to scream. _

On the way back from the top of the peak– My first time zip lining. Can’t believe Potter managed to convince me to try that death trap. Muggle sports are terrifying as fuck, but also superbly fulfilling. I suppose they do have to make up for the lack of Quidditch somehow. The scenery on the way down was incredible.

_This picture shows the messy-haired boy sitting behind the blonde one on a horse. The blonde boy looks out of place in his blue jeans and a cap on his head, looking straight ahead. The messy haired boy smiles widely at the camera and holds up a peace sign. Occasionally the blonde boy will dig his heels into the horse, making it move about in a circle._

On the way up from the bottom of the zip line– Potter’s first time on a horse. As always I was right and we did get horse shite on our boots. But Potter enjoyed so I suppose it was worth it. I had to lead our horse through some very narrow roads (if they can even be called that). Terrifying (but not more than Voldemort living in your house I guess).

~

**Unnamed farmhouse, Motari, Odisha, India**

**October 23 **

**Weather: **Partially cloudy

Draco watched as Potter sweet-talked the old couple who owned the wooden hut they’d rented for the night. They seemed strongly affected by Potter’s awkward charm. Draco would know. He found it more endearing then he should. Draco nudged Potter, nodded at the couple, and started walking towards the fields. The day was warm, but the evening sun was not too sharp. It was brilliant. Draco wandered about aimlessly for a bit.

Soon he heard Potter’s footsteps behind him.

“Hi” Potter sounded out of breath. Perhaps he had run all over the farm to find him. Improbable but flattering.

“Hi yourself Potty” Draco drawled. “Enjoying your vacation?”

Potter winked at him. “What do you think Malfoy?”

“Well you’re still here I suppose.”

Potter let out a hearty laugh. Honestly. That wasn’t that terribly humorous.

As they came to a nice shady spot, and Potter pulled Draco down to sit on the ground with him. Weak the savior was.

“You know when I was young, sometimes I would dream of running away and becoming a farmhand.” Potter murmured, pulling at the grass near the base of the tree he was leaning against. “Guessed even a barn would be a better place to grow up than a bloody cupboard. Thought I could find someone to take me in, so I’d have a family too.”

Draco thought of itty-bitty Potter with large round eyes thinking so in the darkness of a cupboard. The thought made him unbearably depressed. He shuffled to lay properly on the ground (oh how Potter was corrupting him), and rolled over to face him.

“Why are you telling me this Potter? Is this where we let out our deepest wimpiest childhood desires?”

Potter looked up at the sky. “Yeah something like that. I just. I wanted. Y’know. Just a family. And a place to sleep that weren’t the streets or my cupboard.”

Draco stared silently at Potter for a moment.

“When I was young, I dreamt that one day I would wake up and Father would walk in and tell me what a good child I was. I tried my best. I really did. I always pleased my tutors, I perfected my manners, I went out of my way to insult the Weasleys. It never was enough. I was never enough. And then he lead me straight into Voldemort’s circle, and well. That was that, wasn’t it.”

Potter hummed sympathetically, and shuffled closer.

“I’m sorry.” Potter looked at him, his green eyes shining.

“So am I Potter.” They were quiet for a long time after. 

Finally, Draco stood up, and held out his hand. “Oh look at us, sniveling like a bunch of old women. Up you get Potter. We haven’t time to dally about.”

“Oh really? What is this important thing we need to accomplish Malfoy?” 

“It is tea time, you numbskull.”

As they both got up, the sounds of children running about floated over to them. A quick glance showed that two small girls were climbing a large tree near them. Draco smiled fondly as he remembered the times when he used to climb the Malfoy apple trees during his childhood. The nostalgia soon turned into alarm however as he saw that one of the girls was also attempting to drag a toddler up the tree with her.

“Potter! Those kids...” Even as the words fell from his mouth, the little toddler’s hand slipped from the girl grappling to keep her hold, and Draco ran towards the kids. Potter caught on too and drew his wand. The toddler fell, and both Draco reached the bottom of the tree and Potter cast a leviosa on the child.

As Potter reached Draco and the child, the toddler had started crying from shock. Draco, being incredibly inexperienced with children, started panicking.

Together they both broke the toddler’s fall so that the greatest harm to the toddler was the shock of falling from the tree. Draco prepared himself for high pitched wailing, but suddenly the toddler started giggling instead. She shrieked a word in her native language repeatedly, and Draco had the scariest suspicion that she wanted to fall out of a tree again. As Potter reached Draco, so did the other two girls, presumable the kid’s sisters, both looking shaken and guilty. The older one thanked Draco in tears while the younger one took the kid from his arms and cradled her in her arms.

Potter put a hand on Draco’s shoulder and reassured her it was no problem, and then he asked after their parents. Draco let him do the talking for the both of them, for he still felt incredibly shaken up.

When they were about to begin walking towards the kids’ houses, the littlest one, Sonia they’d learnt her name was, said something to her older sister and was put down. She then ran to Draco, and stood before him holding onto his pants.

“What is it?”

Sonia babbled something in her native language, and Draco looked at the eldest girl for a translation.

“She wants you to go with her.”

Draco leant down and grabbed her hand and told her to lead the way. When the eldest girl relayed his message to Sonia, Sonia tugged him towards the tree she had fallen from, and pointed to the base of one of the lower branches. When Draco looked, in a little hollow sat a cute brown little fuzz ball. One with a tiny little pink beak and two eyes peeking back at Draco.

“Oh my!” Draco exclaimed softly. The chick had clearly fallen out. Draco reached out his hands and scooped the baby up. “Where did you come from?” He cooed.

Everyone else exclaimed softly as he showed them Sonia’s find.

“She must have spotted it when she was falling out of the tree herself.” Draco murmured in agreement.

“Are you going to keep it?” Potter asked.

“Not even a question, Potter. Not even a question.”

And so the party of two became a party of three travelling on the roads across India.


	3. Chapter 3

**From: Cuttack, Odisha, India**

**To: The Burrow, Ottery St Catchpole, Devon, England**

**October 27**

Dear Hermione,

Remember how I told you in my last letter we were going to look for a farmhouse to stay in on our way to Cuttack? Well we found one. We stayed at this place owned by an old couple. They were super sweet, and their food was amazing. We saved their granddaughter when she fell out of a tree, so they actually invited us to their youngest daughter’s wedding in a week. Malfoy was a bit put off that I agreed to come without asking him, but since he didn’t have any better plans, we are going.

Their paddy farms were so peaceful. After we agreed to come to the marriage, one of their older daughters and her husband decided that they were going to take us around Bhubaneshwar. It was so much fun!

We went to the Lingraja temple first. It was so beautiful! Did you know that the temple kitchens make food to sell in the nearby markets, and that is how the temple staff gets their money? So brilliant. We ate the temple made food for lunch. It was too spicy for me, but the sweets were glorious. SO MUCH SUGAR IT WAS HEAVEN.

Anyhow then they took us to a local market in Bhubaneshwar. Everything was so colorful! We bought me and Malfoy some traditional Indian clothes to wear to the wedding. Malfoy got this grey kurta that brings out his eyes so beautifully. That was pretty brilliant. Then we got ourselves some bedcovers. Malfoy even got his mom some pretty jwellery. He is so thoughtful. We stayed the night there, and the next day we went to these caves (I can’t spell them I’m sorry Hermione—I’m sure you can figure out where if you want to), and spent the first half of the day there.

By the way Malfoy acquired a chick from the farmhouse, and we named it Fluffy (yes it’s after Fluffy from first year Ron). It’s brown and little and cute. And an attention hogging bastard. Literally since we’ve gotten it, Malfoy literally spends more time parading Fluffy around than he spends making his hair look perfect. They’re both so annoying!

I am missing you guys so much.

Love,

Harry. 

~

**Unknown location**

**October 30 **

**Weather: **Sunny

“We should have been there an hour ago!” Harry whines, slamming his hand on the steering wheel.

They were driving to Chandipur from Cuttack, but the forest they were in seemed long ways from a seaside city. And Malfoy the fucking bastard was being deliberately unhelpful. All he did was cuddle with Fluffy in the seat beside him. Harry had been feeling like they were going in the wrong direction for a while now. But now that the road had changed from gravel to mud he actually had to acknowledge to himself that they were irreparably lost.

Malfoy hummed. “Let’s take a break then. Lay a sheet on the ground under these trees. Explore a little. The like. You should know. You’re a Gryffindor.”

Harry blinked. Malfoy had just suggested they just explore. Bloody Malfoy. He was usually the one who would refuse to do anything that wasn’t ‘respectable’ (aka fun). Fluffy must have changed Malfoy more than he earlier suspected.

“Are you serious?”

Malfoy winked at Harry, and Harry’s tummy went gooey.

“I’m telling you aren’t I? Sides. I might as well learn from the best while I have him about.”

Harry had never had a change of moods quicker. He drove their car a bit further into the forest off the road, and they both got down from the car. As Harry charmed their car to look like a big rock and attached a tracking charm to it, Malfoy made quick work of shrinking their luggage and tucked it away into the pocket Fluffy wasn’t in. Content with their set up, they both then decided to walk about a little.

“Hey Malfoy?”

“Draco.”

Harry looked over at Malfoy in question.

“If we’re doing this whole exploring the forest thing together, I would rather have you call me Draco than Malfoy.” Malfoy explained quietly and smiled lightly at Harry.

Harry gave a sharp nod.

“Harry then, Draco. Blimey that felt so weird saying out loud. Draco. Draco Draco Draco.”

Mal-Draco flushed. “What are you doing Potter?”

“Getting used to your name _Draco_. And remember it’s Harry. Anyways, can I ask you a question? Why did you become travel companion? I mean it’s great, but you know I just don’t see young little Malfoy straight from Hogwarts consider this a respectable job you know? Not that I’m saying it’s not a respectable job. It’s a great job! It really is.”

Draco laughed, petting Fluffy a little. Draco had a good laugh. “Wow Harry.” Harry liked the way Draco said his name, with a slight roll on a puff of air. “What an awkward little duck.” Harry blushed. “It’s okay I get what you mean. I didn’t know what to do with myself after the war. Mother was exiled from England, and the only reason I wasn’t in Azkaban was because of your testimony. Thanks again by the way for that.”

Harry waved it off. “You were just a child Draco. You didn’t deserve a life sentence in Azkaban for actions you took when you were young and under duress. We all did stuff we weren’t proud of.”

Draco smiled. “Anyways. I was pretty torn up. When Pansy found out I was holed up in my room for the fifth day straight, she bought me one way tickets to Hawaii and moved into our villa. She’s a right bint when she wants to be, so I actually did go, and voila. I found that I liked travelling. I get to see exciting new places, understand people different from me. It’s exactly what I needed. The world view I had grown up had been shattered to bits during the war. And travelling let me rebuild it a little at a time. But the Malfoy vaults weren’t exactly full after the compensation we paid during the trials. So I went and found myself a job that paid me to travel. And,” Draco spread his arms, “here I am.”

“Oh wow.”

“Yeah.” Draco looked over. “What do you do for a living?”

Harry kicked at the foliage beneath his feet. “I used to teach Defense at Hogwarts. Well I say used to, but really I only did it for one year before I took a break.”

“Oh? When did you take a break?”

Harry sighed. “It’s been three years now. It just became a little too much for me. Too many memories. Too many missing faces. Fuck. I kept walking past the corridor where Fred and George escaped from Umbridge, you remember that? And I would keep expecting Fred to pop up and ruffle my hair.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t think I’m going back. I kept thinking about it when I was in England, but these past few weeks have given me a perspective on how being happy feels like. I don’t ever want to feel the way I felt at Hogwarts again.”

Draco let out a sympathetic noise. “Hermione’s still at Hogwarts though isn’t she?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

Draco grinned. “Always knew she was the brains of your group.”

“Well yes. Ron was a great strategist though.”

“So Hermione’s the brains, Ron’s the strategist, and you were the hired muscle. Makes perfect sense. Don’t have an inch of wit in there.”

“Hey! Take that back! I do have brains!”

“I don’t see any. I don’t see why your friends would choose to hire you for your physical strength. Maybe it was for your pretty green eyes. Would make anyone with sight hot.”

“Draco EWWW. THEY’RE MY FRIENDS YOU BERK! Stop! Stop!”

~

**2 km North from Unknown Location**

**October 30 **

**Weather: **Sunny

By midday, they had reached the banks of a large stream of water. Harry dropped their conversation, and ran towards the stream.

“Draco look! There’s a waterfall up there!” Harry exclaimed pointing to a cliff in the distance

Draco came up to stand by him, and pulled out a traveler’s guide. “I think I know where we are. This looks like the Simlipal Reserve from the pictures. See?” Draco put his finger on a picture labelled The Simlipal Reserve. “I hope you’re cleared for Malaria. It is vicious around these parts.”

“Yeah I am good.” Harry said distractedly while peeling off his shoes and socks.

“Whoa Potter. What do you think you’re doing?”

Harry looked over his shoulder, in the middle of pulling off his shirt. “I’m going to into the water of course. Aren’t you?”

Draco spluttered. “Some of us aren’t heathens Potter! We don’t take off our shirts in the middle of a fucking forest.”

Harry gave him a sly smile. “So does that mean you and Parkinson never had sex in the Forbidden Forest?”

Draco choked on his next breath. “Excuse me what?!”

“It was a rumor floating around Hogwarts for a while in fifth year. I’m assuming it wasn’t true?”

“NO!” Draco shrieked. Harry laughed at him, and Draco hit him on the shoulder in retaliation.

“HARRY PUT YOUR CLOTHES BACK ON!” shrieked Draco, covering Fluffy’s eyes.

“Why. Scared, Malfoy?”

Draco huffed, and crossed his arms. “Of course not!”

“Then come into the water with me!”

“But what about Fluffy?”

Harry pouted. “So you’re choosing the chick over me?”

“Of course I’m choosing Fluffy over you! At least she doesn’t tease me like you do!”

“Aww. C’mon Draco. You can make a nest for Fluffy near the bank. Or put her in a tree or something.”

“What if she wanders off? What if some tiger shows up and eats her up. She’ll be gone in a flash, she’s not even a whole bite!”

Harry pouted some more. Eventually, Draco decided to conjure her a little playpen with a top (Draco refused to call it a cage), and hung her from a low branch on a nearby tree. He then proceeded to spell her playpen against any imaginable danger including predators, falling down and even a snowstorm. Once he was satisfied she was safe, he quickly undressed and entered the water himself.

Harry admired the view of Draco shirtless, his golden hair gleaming in the sun, and his cheeks flushed bright red from Merlin knew what. They played about for a bit in the water, pulling each other down, and splashing water about. Suddenly Draco gasped, and shielded his eyes from the sun.

“Harry, look. Elephants,” said Draco, breathy with awe.

Harry turned around. A herd of big grey animals was slowly making its way down the stream towards them. The leader paused as they neared the two humans further down the stream. Then it raised its trunk and let out a loud rumble.

“Wow” Draco whispered. The Elephants were absolutely majestic.

Harry wished to touch that magnificence. Then he decided he was going to touch an Elephant. “I’m going to go pet it.”

Draco’s head whipped around in horror. “Harry no! You’ll get killed you buffoon!” Harry ignored Draco. If Hagrid had taught him anything in their last twelve years of acquaintance, it was that any animal could be tamed. You just needed respect and love. And probably a little bit of giant in you. But that was okay. Harry could manage without. Draco hurried after Harry as Harry swam upstream to the Elephant herd.

Stopping in front of the Head Elephant, Harry bowed and stood very still. Maybe it would be like Buckbeak and bow back—who knew? The Elephant rumbled and waved his trunk around Harry testing his scent. After a few moments it ambled over to Draco standing behind Potter, and swiped its trunk at him. Unbalanced, Draco went toppling into the water, and Harry stifled a laugh. Apparently satisfied the Elephant moved on. Draco came up with round eyes and red cheeks.

“How...Is there some sort of class you Gryffindors take? Introduction to How to do the most extraordinarily daring things without dying. A Comprehensive Guide to get away with all kinds of bullshite.”

Harry just winked at Draco and said, “It comes with the job description. All you need to do is have a prophecy name the month you are going to born in. That is all.”

As the leader showed his approval, some other more daring elephants came periodically to investigate the humans standing in the middle of their herd. Harry tried dragging Draco to pet them, but Draco was having none of it. Until a baby elephant accompanied one of the bigger elephants near them. Despite being much smaller than the adult elephants, the top of its head still reached Harry’s chest. Harry reached out slowly and put a hand on its head.

Harry turned around and grabbed Draco’s hand.

“Just trust me, okay?”

Draco’s breath hitched. “Okay.”

Harry pulled Draco’s hand forward and put it beside his on top of the baby elephant. As Draco got calmer, Harry felt as if he should let Draco’s hand go, but he did not want to. It was so warm and nice. Draco had nice long fingers. Pianists fingers Luna would call them. He looked up at Draco, and Draco looked back at him with dark eyes. The platonic hand holding time limit had long since set sail, yet neither of them let go. In fact, if Harry had to guess, he would say that they were in fact leaning in. Just a little. Harry was sure it was not on purpose. Just a little more.

Suddenly, a nearby elephant sprayed water everywhere with its trunk. The baby elephant shook its head violently, and then put its trunk in its mouth before settling down near Harry. They both looked away, cheeks red, as their hands dropped to their sides. Harry cursed. If only they had been interrupted a second later. Then he thought about how it would feel to actually kiss Draco, and promptly blurted a stupid comment about how grey the elephants were. Draco, bless his soul, took Harry’s offer and ran with it, somehow managing to hold a conversation off of Harry’s awkward, completely obvious remark. Draco was just too good.

~ 

**Simlipal Reserve, Odisha, India**

**October 30 **

**Weather: **Clear and cool

They decided to camp in a space close to the river, but not right next to it. As the night fell, Harry set up a fire in front of the car. Draco had somehow hauled up their car to this clearing, and it sat in the corner with a bed for Fluffy made in the middle of the trunk. He had also put up basic wards around their camping spot to make sure they had no surprises in the middle of the night.

Harry pulled out some marshmallows from his luggage and conjured some sticks. They both sat down on the car hood to roast them on the fire. For a while only the fire made any sound, cackling delightfully as it warmed their faces.

Harry hummed and looked up from the fire.

“That’s me up there,” said Draco, looking up at the night sky.

Harry looked straight at Draco. “It’s pretty.”

Draco blushed.

Then Harry looked up too. “See that one’s Andromeda. You just connect the two stars over there with the bright one in the middle.”

Draco smirked and pointed to group of stars next to Andromeda. “There those five stars. We used to call them Snape’s nose in Slytherin.” Harry roared with laughter. The stars when connected did form a kind of a crooked shape resembling Snape’s nose though blown slightly out of proportion.

“Did he know you had graced a constellation with his name?”

Draco scoffed. “Of course not Harry. If he knew, by Merlin, he would have called a house meeting the same night.” Standing up, Draco glided around the fire in an eerily accurate representation of Snape’s bat walk. “We need to have words my snakes.” Draco even had his voice down to pat. “In _this _house, we do not tolerate the desecration of names. Especially not my name. Whoever dares to go against my word will be transferred to Gryffindor effective immediately!”

They both burst out laughing. Draco’s imitation started off a chain of imitations of other teachers and students from Hogwarts. As they talked, they inched closer and closer, until they were pressed up against one another from shoulder to knee. As Harry turned to Draco after one particularly lively retelling of the seventh years breaking into McGonagall’s alcohol stores, he found Draco already looking at him with an intense look on his face. His eyes were bright by the fireside. Slowly, Harry leaned in a placed a short kiss on Draco’s lips. Draco’s eyes fluttered close, his lashes a brilliant gold.

“I don’t do casual sex, Potter.” Draco murmured.

“Neither do I, _Malfoy_” Harry whispered back, and lightly bit Draco’s lower lip.

Draco growled and pressed Harry down against the hood of the car, and pressed a deep long kiss.

“What are we doing Harry?” 

“I haven’t a clue.” Harry grinned back, just as breathlessly.

Draco huffed out a chuckle before Harry tackled him in another kiss. They didn’t get much past the snogging, but Harry was okay with that. Really. After all, they had the rest of time to do whatever they wanted. Right now, he just wanted to kiss Draco some more.

And under the sky full of stars, both Harry and Draco fell asleep to each others hearts and breaths (and to Fluffy who managed to climb over the car to lodge herself between them sometime during the night).

~

The End


	4. Epilogue

**20 kilometers outside of Kolkata, West Bengal, India**

**November 5**

**Weather: **Clear

As Draco got more Puchka from the food tables, he watched Harry chase Sonia around the DJ floor. Neither of them knew how to dance, but they were enjoying themselves fully. Harry and Draco both had turned back and kept driving until they found civilization. From there they had decided to take a portkey to Kolkata to make it in time for the wedding. Draco and Harry were heading back to France tomorrow. He would miss having alone time with Harry, but he supposed he had the rest of his life to get Harry alone. He couldn’t still believe that he was romantically involved with the fucking saviour. He might not deserve him, but he sure wasn’t going to let him go. Harry made him happy. As he finished the spicy filling, he headed off towards Harry and Sonia. Maybe Harry would agree to trying one of the chili dumplings.

~

**From: Kolkata, West Bengal, India**

**To: Côte d’Azur, French Rivera, France**

**November 6**

Dear Pansy,

It was a pleasure to hear from Mother and you in your last letter. I should probably have warned you in advance, but I am bringing Harry home with me. Be on your best behaviour. Don’t mess this up for me. And please tell Mother. We will be there by nightfall.

Yours,

Draco.

PS: In case you were wondering, yes we are dating, and no you cannot have a piece of him. He’s all mine.

PPS: I’m also bringing home Fluffy. Make sure the elves know not to frighten her.

~

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please support the author by clicking on the kudos button and leaving a comment below! ♥


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